Sunday Lunch and other sporting matters
A quick dash around the fields and then out for a well-earned lunch. When I say quick, I mean the opposite period of time to the PMs and the Chancellor’s decision to lie to parliament, the people and the City about recent economic black holes, revealed to them in September.
When I say well-earned, I mean deserved in the same way as Michelle Mome’s peerage.
As the 2025 Formula 1 season barrels towards its climax, the Qatar Grand Prix is more than just another race; it’s a pressure cooker for the three-way championship fight and a stage for some deep-seated political tensions within the sport. Last season in Qatar, you might remember that FIA and the F1 teams agreed on a set of controversial racing guidelines, which stipulate clear rules for judging on-track incidents, and were intended to bring clarity but have, according to drivers like Carlos Sainz, “created more problems than solutions.”
As with all rules, the stewards are trying to strictly apply the “letter of the law,” often judging overtakes, for example, based on complex rules like how far the attacking car is alongside the defending car, rather than traditional racing common sense. The disqualifications of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the Las Vegas GP were seen as a direct consequence of these rigid rules, costing McLaren crucial points and reigniting the title fight. Sainz’s penalty points at the Dutch GP were later overturned on review, which, of course, merely highlighted the inconsistencies.
With the approach of the end of the season and with it the onset of a radical reset of F1 construction rules, the perennial team musical chairs is in full swing. Rumours persist about Aston Martin CEO Andy Cowell being on the verge of dismissal following reported disagreements with technical partner Adrian Newey. Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner has emerged as a possible candidate to take over,… like who would have guessed?
On track, the Lusail International Circuit has been an absolute hotbed of drama leading into today’s race. Because of safety concerns over extreme tyre wear, similar to the issues seen in 2024, the FIA has been forced to impose a mandatory two-stop race. Drivers must change tyres at least twice, with a maximum stint length of 25 laps on the hardest compounds (C1, C2, C3). This effectively eliminates strategic variability and puts the emphasis squarely on race pace and execution. While Oscar Piastri is having a stellar weekend, taking Pole Position for the Grand Prix and winning the Sprint Race, teammate and championship leader Lando Norris has had a chaotic run. Norris aborted his final Q3 lap and, following the sprint, was vocal in his frustration, even hitting back at Max Verstappen’s recent comments by saying the Red Bull driver “doesn’t have much of a clue” about the McLaren car. In the Ferrari garage, the struggles have been profound. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc both had poor Sprint Qualifying and Sprint Race results. Hamilton, in particular, was eliminated in Q1 for the Grand Prix and was forced to start the Sprint from the pit lane after making car changes, resulting in a 17th-place finish and an on-air complaint: “I don’t know how we made the car worse.” We also had a bizarre red flag during Qualis, after Carlos Sainz pulled out of the pits with a floor sticker wrapped around his rear tyre, prompting a red flag to clear the debris. WTF do garage floors need ad stickers on them for? As for the race itself…
The three-way title fight is now razor-thin. Lando Norris leads the Drivers’ Championship with 390 points, holding a 24-point lead over both Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen, who are tied on 366 points. Norris will be crowned champion today if he extends his lead to 26 points or more. The mandatory two-stop race makes this a predictable strategic affair, which often favours the best car on the day—and this weekend, that appears to be the McLaren. But Max Verstappen is a two-time winner in Qatar, and starting from P3, his superior racecraft and ability to manage the track-specific tyre situation over a full race distance often give him the edge, especially given McLaren’s policy of keeping things “fair” between their title-contending drivers. Despite a likely Verstappen win, Lando Norris is in a strong position to secure a podium finish. If Norris finishes second to Verstappen, he will carry a lead of 22-23 points into the final race in Abu Dhabi, keeping the title fight technically alive but putting him firmly in the driving seat. If Norris can beat Verstappen and Piastri to take the win, the championship will be settled today. The only fly might be George Russell starting from P4, who has been consistently strong this year and could capitalise on any errors from the trio ahead of him to sneak onto the podium. The pressure is immense, the track is brutal on tyres, and with a title on the line, today’s race is set to be a gripping, high-speed battle of attrition.
Well done to all the connections of the world’s top-rated racehorse, CALANDAGAN, who has achieved a monumental victory, winning the prestigious Japan Cup (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday.
